Admission Interview Guidance

The Social Work bursary was introduced by the Department of Health as an incentive to train in social work.  In 2013, the Department of Health changed the way social work students are funded and the government has indicated that they will review the continuation of the bursary for social work students.

Universities have been awarded a finite number of bursaries by the Department of Health, and both undergraduate and postgraduate Social Work students who apply for a bursary are no longer guaranteed to receive it.

Undergraduate students will not receive funding in the first year of their studies but may be eligible for a bursary in years 2 and 3. Postgraduate students may receive a bursary for both years 1 and 2 of the course.

Part time MA students may be eligible to receive the bursary in three instalments over 3 years. Overall, this is the same amount full time students receive over 2 years. Eligibility in Year 1 of the part-time MA route will depend on overall numbers for the full-time route. This is because Year 1 of the part time route does not involve a placement.

All students, irrespective of whether they receive a bursary, will be entitled to a Placement Travel Allowance (PTA).

Postgraduate Bursary (MA Social Work)

In accordance with the Department of Health guidance, following the selection process all MA candidates who have accepted the offer at a place at Leeds Beckett University will be ranked in order of priority for a Social Work Bursary. The rank order is obtained by totalling the scores awarded to each applicant during the interview and selection process. The names of those candidates will be sent in rank order to the NHS Bursaries team.

Undergraduate Bursary (BA Social Work)

In accordance with the Department of Health guidance, undergraduate students will be prioritised for a bursary at the end of the first year of their studies.   Prioritisation will be based on:

• Those students who have successfully passed the first year of their studies including the readiness to practice component (outlined within the Professional Capabilities Framework).
• Students who have demonstrated their active engagement with the course and demonstrated a commitment to the values of social work and Social Work England standards.

Whilst Leeds Beckett University rank BA students based on their first-year performance, the NHS Bursaries team will assess students for their eligibility for a bursary.  You may take up a place on the course but may not receive a bursary.

You are advised to consult the NHS Bursaries website for further information on the application process: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/825.aspx

You will be notified of the outcome of your interview via UCAS Hub, or Applicant Portal for part-time MA applicants. If you receive an offer, you may need to provide some additional information. Please check the wording of any offer carefully and provide any requested documents to us by 31^st July 2026.

You may need to provide:

• Evidence of your English Language qualification to show you have achieved GCSE grade 4 or equivalent.
• Evidence of your highest academic qualifications used to meet the course entry requirements, if already achieved.
• A reference in addition to the one provided in your application. This should normally be from your supervisor where you have gained relevant social care or social work experience. If you have already provided a reference from an organisation where you have completed work experience, then your second reference should be an academic reference.

If you are not successful in gaining a place following interview, you are invited to email ucasadmissions@leedsbeckett.ac.uk, or directadmissions@leedsbeckett.ac.uk for part-time MA applications, to request some feedback from your interviewers about areas for development. 

We welcome any requests for reasonable adjustments in the interview process and if this is something that you feel you need, please email ucasadmissons@leedsbeckett.ac.uk as far in advance as possible, letting us know about support that you might need to be able to perform your best. We would also encourage you to feel able to discuss any relevant aspects of your identity with the panel if you choose to. It is important that you have all the information that you need to help you to make the decision about where to study.

Equality and Diversity

We believe that opportunities for study at university should be provided to all of those who can demonstrate that they have the existing skills, knowledge and experience required. We are proud to celebrate diversity, and we are committed to supporting students from a wide range of backgrounds who have diverse identities and personal characteristics. Each cohort of students typically includes learners of different ages and from a range of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. We welcome applications from people experiencing neurodiversity, diversity in gender identity or sexuality, people from any socioeconomic background and people who are care experienced or estranged. This commitment is in keeping with the values of social work as a profession and is a focus of our teaching throughout the course. Our admissions policies, procedures and staff training reflect these beliefs. You can read our Equality and Inclusion policy online at https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/our-university/equality-and-inclusion/.

You can apply to live in University accommodation from Spring 2026, as long as you have selected Leeds Beckett University as your firm choice. Further details about the accommodation the University has to offer and how to apply can be found on our website:

http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/our-university/accommodation/

If you select Leeds Beckett University as your firm choice, we will send you further details in the summer about completing a DBS (formerly Criminal Record Bureau) enhanced check and the occupational health screening questionnaire. The health screening process will establish your immunisation status. Once you have started the course, you will receive any additional immunisations needed to comply with the requirements of healthcare professionals. If your contact details change between now and May, please ensure your UCAS Hub account is updated, or for part-time MA applicants, please email directadmissions@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.

Depending upon the conditions of your offer and the type of qualifications you are studying, your results may be sent directly to us between June and August. Alternatively, we may contact you directly to ask you to send us your results once you have received them. Once the results of your DBS check, health check and academic results have been received we will be able to consider making you an unconditional offer.

Your course will start on 21st September 2026. Induction information will be available from late summer via our online welcome website.